E Sons of Men, with juft Regard attend,
Obferve the Preacher, and believe the
Whose serious MUSB infpires Him to
That all we Act, and all we Think is
That in this Pilgrimage of Seventy Years,
O'er Rocks of Perils, and thro' Vales of Tears
Deftin'd to march, our doubtful Steps we tend,
Tir'd with the Toil, yet fearful of it's End.
That from the Womb We take our fatal Shares
Of Follies, Paffions, Labors, Tumults, Cares ;
And at Approach of Death fhall only know
The Truths, which from these pensive Numbers flow,
That We pursue falfe Joy, and fuffer real Woe.
Happiness, Object of that waking Dream,
Which we call Life, miftaking; Fugitive Theme
Of my pursuing Verfe, Ideal Shade,
Notional Good, by Fancy only made,
And by Tradition nurs'd, fallacious Fire,
Whofe dancing Beams mif-lead our fond Defire,
Cause of our Care, and Error of our Mind:
O! had'ft Thou ever been by Heav'n defign'd
To ADAM, and his Mortal Race; the Boon
Entire, had been referv'd for SOLOMON:
On Me the partial-Lot had been beftow'd;
And in my Cup the golden Draught had flow'd.
But O! e'er yet Original Man was made;
E'er the Foundations of this Earth were laid;
It was, opponent to our Search, ordain'd,
That Joy, still fought, fhould never be attain'd.
This, fad Experience cites me to reveal;
And what I dictate, is from what I feel.
Born as I was, great DAVID's fav'rite Son,
Dear to my People, on the HEBREW Throne
Sublime, my Court with OPHIR's Treasures bleft,
My Name extended to the farthest East,
My Body cloth'd with ev'ry outward Grace,
Strength in my Limbs, and Beauty in my Face,
My fhining Thought with fruitful Notions crown'd,
Quick my Invention, and my Judgment found.
Arife (I commun'd with my felf) arise;
Think, to be Happy; to be Great, be Wise:
Content of Spirit muft from Science flow;
For 'tis a Godlike Attribute, to Know.
I said; and sent my Edict thro' the Land: Around my Throne the Letter'd Rabbins ftand, Historic Leaves revolve, long Volumes fpread, The Old difcourfing, as the Younger read: Attent I heard, propos'd my Doubts, and faid;
The Vegetable World, each Plant, and Tree,
It's Seed, it's Name, it's Nature, it's Degree
I am allow'd, as FAME reports, to know,
From the fair Cedar, on the craggy Brow
Of LEBANON nodding fupremely tall,
To creeping Mofs, and Hyffop on the Wall:
Yet juft and confcious to my self, I find
A thousand Doubts oppose the searching Mind.
I know not why the Beach delights the Glade
With Boughs extended, and a rounder Shade;
Whilft tow'ring Firrs in Conic forms arise,
And with a pointed Spear divide the Skies:
Nor why again the changing Oak should shed
The Yearly Honour of his stately Head;
Whilst the distinguish'd Tew is ever seen,
Unchang'd his Branch, and permanent his Green.
Wanting the Sun why does the Caltha fade?
Why does the Cypress flourish in the Shade?
The Fig and Date why love they to remain
In middle Station, and an even Plain ;
While in the lower Marsh the Gourd is found;
And while the Hill with Olive-fhade is crown'd?
Why does one Climate, and one Soil endue
The blufhing Poppy with a crimson Hue;
Yet leave the Lilly pale, and tinge the Violet blue?
Why does the fond Carnation love to fhoot
A various Colour from one Parent Root;
While the fantastic Tulip ftrives to break
In two-fold Beauty, and a parted Streak?
The twining Jasmine, and the blufhing Rose,
With lavish Grace their Morning Scents disclose:
The smelling Tub'rofe and Funquele declare,
The stronger Impulfe of an Evening Air.
Whence has the Tree (refolve me) or the Flow'r
A various Inftinct, or a diff'rent Pow'r?..
Why should one Earth, one Clime, one Stream, one Breath Raife This to Strength, and ficken That to Death?
Whence does it happen, that the Plant which well We name the Senfitive, fhould move and feel? Whence know her Leaves to answer her Command, And with quick Horror fly the neighb'ring Hand?
Along the Sunny Bank, or wat❜ry Mead,
Ten thousand Stalks their various Bloffoms fpread:
Peaceful and lowly in their native Soil,
They neither know to fpin, nor care to toil;
Yet with confefs'd Magnificence deride
Our vile Attire, and Impotence of Pride.
The Cowflip fmiles, in brighter yellow dress'd,
Than That which veils the nubile Virgin's Breaft.
A fairer Red ftands blushing in the Rose,
Than That which on the Bridegroom's Veftment flows.
Take but the humbleft Lilly of the Field;
And if our Pride will to our Reason yield,
It must by fure Comparison be shown,
That on the Regal Seat great DAVID'S Son,
Aray'd in all his Robes, and Types of Pow'r,
Shines with lefs Glory, than that simple Flow'r.
Of Fishes next, my Friends, I would enquire, How the mute Race engender, or refpire;
From the fmall Fry that glide on JORDAN'S Stream Unmark'd, a Multitude without a Name,
To that Leviathan, who o'er the Seas
Immenfe rolls onward his impetuous Ways,
And mocks the Wind, and in the Tempeft plays.
How They in warlike Bands march greatly forth
From freezing Waters, and the colder North,
To Southern Climes directing their Career,
Their Station changing with th' inverted Year.
How all with careful Knowledge are indu'd,
To chuse their proper Bed, and Wave, and Food:
To guard their Spawn, and educate their Brood.
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